Fashion magazines and newspapers rely on fashion critics to provide their readers with the latest styles and occurrences at fashion shows. They also recommend which styles are best for casual or business settings and critique designers on their latest productions. Those interested in working as fashion critics can expect to earn salaries averaging more than $100,000.

Fashion magazines and newspapers rely on fashion critics to provide their readers with the latest styles and occurrences at fashion shows. They also recommend which styles are best for casual or business settings and critique designers on their latest productions. Those interested in working as fashion critics can expect to earn salaries averaging more than $100,000.

Salary and Qualifications

The average annual salary for a fashion critic was $109,000 as of 2013, according to the job site Indeed. Top fashion critics such as Cathy Horyn and Robin Givhan can earn millions of dollars. Many fashion critics start their careers by earning bachelor's degrees in journalism, communications or English. They may then gain experience writing about the fashion industry, although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or other sources don't specify how much experience fashion critics need. Other essential requirements for the job are stamina, persistence and creativity and observational, communication and computer skills.

Regional Salaries

In 2013, average salaries for fashion critics varied the most within the West region, according to Indeed, where they made the least in Hawaii and most in California -- $70,000 and $117,000 respectively. Those in the Northeast averaged $93,000 and $131,000 per year in Maine and New York, respectively. Fashion critics earned $93,000 to $129,000 in Louisiana and Washington, D.C., representing the lowest and highest salaries in the South region. In the Midwest, they made the least in Nebraska and South Dakota and most in Illinois at $81,000 and $120,000, respectively.

Contributing Factors

Employed fashion critics earn more in New York and Washington, D.C., because it's more expensive to live in those areas. For example, a fashion critic who earns $110,000 in Atlanta would need to make $259,433 in New York City to maintain her living standard, according to CNN Money's "Cost of Living" calculator. In Washington, D.C., she'd have to make $165,955 to enjoy the same living standard as in Atlanta, or approximately 51 percent more. Freelance fashion critics earn more as they become better known and publish more articles in magazines and newspapers.

Job Outlook

The BLS doesn't forecast jobs for fashion critics. It projects an 8 percent decline in employment for reporters, correspondents and broadcast news analysts from 2010 to 2020. A consolidation of news sources and lower print circulations are the main reasons for job decreases for writers, including fashion critics. These critics may still find job opportunities writing for the online versions of newspapers or magazines, or they can launch freelance careers and sell articles or syndicate their work.

2016 Salary Information for Fashion Designers

Fashion designers earned a median annual salary of $65,170 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the low end, fashion designers earned a 25th percentile salary of $46,020, meaning 75 percent earned more than this amount. The 75th percentile salary is $92,550, meaning 25 percent earn more. In 2016, 23,800 people were employed in the U.S. as fashion designers.